2016 Pistoia Blues Festival

Programme and guests of the 37th edition

From 05 July 2016 to 16 July 2016

Lovers of blues and all-round music, perk up your ears and take note in your diaries: from 5 to 16 July you cannot miss the most anticipated event in Pistoia, the now famous 2016 Pistoia Blues! 

Founded in 1980 under the name 'Bluesin' with special guests such B.B. King and Muddy Waters, the event - thanks to an always exciting line up - each year attracts thousands of spectators from all over the country turning Pistoia into one of the most accredited representatives amongst the cities of the Italian live music scene!

For sure, the artists of Pistoia blues 2016 will not disappoint you: the picturesque Piazza del Duomo will host the performances of the likes of Mika and Damien Rice and bands of international fame such as the wild Skunk Anansie and British Bastille, while other areas of the old town of Pistoia will feature numerous side events and interesting workshops.

And now, no more talk! Let's discover together the program Pistoia Blues 2016 program:

• TUESDAY, 5 JULY AT 9pm. The task of opening the festival premiere, this year is entrusted to Mika, the eccentric artist who has become an icon of international pop music with more than 10 million records sold worldwide. The stage of Pistoia, which is part of his 2016 world tour, will promote the British singer's latest album 'No Place In Heaven' with his energetic band ... do not miss one of the few Mika's concerts in Italy!

• SATURDAY, 9 JULY AT 7pm the first unmissable event entirely dedicated to Blues music with 'Italian Blues Night', a free admission evening which will see performances by great Italian artists, including the Trieste-based composer, singer and guitarist Mike Sponza who will present at the Pistoia Festival 2016 his new work entitled 'Ergo Sum', inspired by his great passion for classical Latin poets.
  Alessandro 'Finaz' Finazzo - who has just released his second solo album 'GuitaRevolution' - will be back on stage with Tuscan guitarist and singer Fabrizio Pocci with whom he has just finished a fantastic overseas tour in Canada and the USA.
  Present in the program of Pistoia Blues 2016 also Francesco Piu, who  has managed to take his music to Mississippi and Tennessee considered the Blues homeland, Lino Vairetti & Patrick Trampetti with an exciting tribute to the great Pino Daniele, the ever-present maestro Nick Becattini accompanied by Maurizio Prugna and Linda Valori and the Magic Bones band.
  The evening will be kick-started by the winning band of the competition 'Obiettivo Blues In'.

• SUNDAY, 10 JULY AT 9pm. Undisputed protagonists of this evening of the 2016 Pistoia Blues festival will be Hammond organ sounds: the event will start with the performance of the British band James Taylor Quartet captained by James Taylor, followed by Lucky Peterson's show, eclectic blues and soul player who will play several track from her latest album 'Son of a Bluesma'.
  The evening will get underway with the arrival on the stage of the legendary British keyboardist Brian Auger and Oblivion Express: the sound of his Hammond will be enhanced by the music of Alex Ligertwood, amazing guitarist and former vocalist of Carlos Santana.
  The concert evening of Pistoia Blues concerts in 2016 will be inaugurated by the Rovigo-hailed band The Twisters with Alice Violato (talented Bluesband and author of two new albums) and songwriter Leon who will present to the public his second album entitled 'The heroes die'.

• MONDAY, 11 JULY AT 9pm. This highly anticipated event will see the first performance of Bastille in Italy! After the resounding success of their hit 'Pompeii' from the album 'Bad Blood', the English alternative rock band has announced the release of more new tracks later this year: do not miss this unique Italian event of Bastille at the Festival Pistoia 2016!
  The opening will be down to Kelevra, the young Florentine band winner of the contest 'Toscana 100 band' that, during the Pistoia Festival 2016 will present their new work 'Chronicles for poor lovers'.

• TUESDAY, 12 JULY AT 9pm. The only Italian date for The National in Pistoia! The US band, considered one of the most important indie rock formations on the contemporary scene, will perform for the first time on stage at the Festival Blues with a line-up of the best known tracks from their six albums, including the Grammy Award nominations for Best Alternative Album 'Trouble will find me'.
  The concert will be preceded by the songwriter Father John Misty who, thanks to his latest album 'I Love You, Honeybear' released in 2015, has won over audiences and critics.

• THURSDAY, 14 JULY AT 9pm. Are you ready for a wave of crazy energy? Among the 2016 Pistoia blues concerts, do not miss Pistoia Skunk Anansie, participating for the second time at the Tuscan festival. Listen to the songs of their latest album 'Anarchytecture' and other hits from their very large repertoire: let yourself be excited by the unmistakable voice of Skin ... do not miss Skunk Anansie in Pistoia!
  As opening act, Down To Ground, Italian/New Zealand band now famous thanks to the single 'Belong' included in the new album 'The World We Live In'.

• FRIDAY 15, JULY AT 9pm. Among the great artists of Pistoia Blues 2016 there are also Whitesnake - led by frontman David Coverdale - presenting 'The Purple Album' composed exclusively of remakes of Deep Purple songs from the period in which Coverdale sang in the famous band. The Whitesnake band was founded in 1977 by Coverdale after the breakup of Deep Purple: since then, they have released 12 studio albums and numerous collections and live recordings accompanied by the biggest names in hard rock music. An unmissable concert of Whitesnake in Pistoia!
  Before them, the stage will be taken by the Swedish rockers Hardcore Superstar and directly from Ireland, The Answer, while the task of opening the evening will be entrusted to Carrara-hailed Crazy Rain and Florence-based Junkie Dildoz.
  After the concerts, everybody on the dance floor with the free DJ event of 'Rock Fun Show' by Marco Biondi and PF Colombi directly from Virgin Radio Italy, official partner of 2016 Pistoia Blues Festival.

• SATURDAY, 16 JULY AT 9pm. The concert closing the list of Pistoia events for 2016 will be a real treat: Damien Rice in Italy with this unique date! The Irish artist, loved in our country for his voice full of pathos and for his live concerts full of emotion, will present his biggest hits and several songs from his latest album 'My Favourite Faded Fantasy'.
  The Damien Rice Pistoia concert will be preceded by the unmissable performance of cellist Gyda, co-founder of the band Mùm who she then left to continue her classical studies. 

From 5 to 16 July 2016 do not miss Pistoia Blues: Mika, Skunk Anansie, Damien Rice and many other guests are awaiting you to give you eight really exciting evenings!

PISTOIA EVENTS presents PISTOIA PISTOIA BLUES FESTIVAL 2016:

Location: Pistoia - Cathedral Square

Dates: 5 to 16 July 2016